Book Reviews

Play Me, I'm Yours by Madison Parker at Harmony Ink Press

Genre

Gay / Contemporary / Young Adult / Romance

Reviewed by

Jamie Deacon on 03-April-2013

Book Blurb

Fairy Tate. Twinklefingers. Lucy Lu. Will the taunting ever end? Lucas Tate suffers ridicule because of his appearance and sensitive nature. When he’s not teased, he’s ignored, and now he doesn’t know which is worse. His one comfort in life is his music; he feels unloved by everyone. What he wants more than anything is to find a friend.

Much to his dismay, both his mom and a schoolmate are determined to find him a boyfriend, despite the fact Lucas hasn’t come out to them. His mom chooses a football player who redefines the term “heartthrob,” while Trish pushes him toward the only openly gay boy at Providence High. But Lucas is harboring a crush on another boy, one who writes such romantic poetry to his girlfriend that hearing it melts Lucas into a puddle of goo. All three prospects seem so far out of his league. Lucas is sure he doesn’t stand a chance with any of them—until sharing his gift for music brings him the courage to let people into his heart.

Book Review

So often it is the simplest stories that are the most powerful. Sweet and sexy in equal measure, Play Me, I’m Yours follows the journey of high school senior Lucas Tate as he seeks love and acceptance through his passion for music. Madison Parker’s warm style, together with her blend of wit and poignancy, drew me in from the very first page. This is one of those books that takes the reader through the whole spectrum of emotions from laughter to tears, but which ultimately leaves you with a smile on your face and the belief that everyone deserves a happy ending.

High school can be a harsh environment for anyone who doesn’t adhere to the norm. For Lucas, with his delicate prettiness and sensitive nature, it’s a place of torment, of perpetual name-calling and cruel jokes. At home, it seems his dad and brother are embarrassed by him, while his mom is constantly urging him to blend in. Music is Lucas’s refuge. Seated before the piano, he can lose himself in the familiarity of the keys beneath his fingers and shut out the world, if only for a while. All he really wants is to be liked. Yet, the possibility of him finding a friend, let alone someone who will fall in love with him, feels a million miles away…that is, until he meets Trish.

Vivacious and theatrical, Trish is struck both by Lucas’s musical talent and by his shyness. She immediately takes him under her wing, where upon she embarks on the misguided attempt to set him up with Donovan, her openly gay best friend. At the same time, Lucas’s mom is anxious for him to get to know gorgeous lady’s man Alex, a desire that yields unexpected results. Lucas, however, has eyes only for Zach, the boy with the swimmer’s body and a gift for writing romantic poetry that melts Lucas’s insides. But Zach isn’t gay, and even if he were, he would surely be far beyond Lucas’s reach.

Still more than the achingly tender romance, the thing that brought this novel to life for me was the characters. From impulsive Trish and devil-may-care Alex, to acid-tongued Donovan and Zach with his humor and infinite patience…I became deeply involved with every one of them, so that when I closed the book, it was like saying goodbye to a group of friends. And I mustn’t forget Lucas himself. Extremely emotional, he isn’t perhaps your typical hero, but his gentleness and loyalty will almost certainly win you over.

If you’re after a young adult romance to warm your heart and set your pulse racing, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this novel. I loved it!

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by Harony Ink Press for the purpose of a review.

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